Age of Worms

Arrival at the Free City

Battle with a troll, which went down in less than two rounds and was promptly set on fire.

Encounter with a bored guard at a gate to the Free City. Some “suspicious” items were confiscated from the party, such as the jar with the green worm and Cedric’s hallucinogenic substance. The guard expressed concern over the amount of paperwork that the confiscations would require, and Lucian offered a bag of coins to be “confiscated.” The party’s items were returned.

Encounter with a street parade in celebration of the battles for the Champion’s Games, which were to begin in a week or so. A chimera escaped from its cage and started to tear into the crowd that had gathered to watch. After a few rounds with the party, the chimera was dead. Cedric added the chimera’s dragon head to his collection.

Encounter with halfling thieves. When the party was watching the parade, Keldar felt himself being groped by a halfling. Keldar seized the thief and, during the ensuing battle with the chimera, placed the thief in a straitjacket and stuffed him into Heward’s Handy Haversack. Eventually, the party caught the thief’s three cohorts and took their pants.

Visit with Eligos. The party went to Eligo’s residence in the Garden District and explained the worm-related events thus far. Eligos said that he would need to go to a library to find out more information and that it would take (hey! coincidence!) a few days, which was just about when the Champion’s Games would begin. He did, however, recommend that the party stay at a particular inn, the Crooked House.

The Crooked House was suitable if a bit drab. If there were any buxom serving wenches, they were not obvious.

Visit with Loris Raknian at his office. The party wanted to register for the Champion’s Games. Raknian said that the party would need a sponsor and offered to see what he could do. Keldar detected a presence of evil about the man. The party was to return the next day.

Return visit with Raknian, who introduced the party to a Mr. Snide, who was not the sponsor himself. Mr. Snide said that the party would need to pass a test to be considered for sponsorship. The party eventually agreed and was taken inside the arena, where some workmen were preparing for the Champion’s Games. The party was given one minute to prepare for an unknown encounter. A few buffs later, a huge monstrous scorpion emerged from a gate in the arena. And less than one round later, it was dead. Cedric took the scorpion’s claws and added them to his collection.

Visit with Duncan at his residence. Mr. Snide thought that the party handled itself well with the scorpion and arranged for a meeting with Duncan, who apparently acts on behalf of his father as far as sponsorships. Or something. Anyway, Duncan wanted to meet for a private interview with the “head of the party,” which was determined to be Cedric. If only Merla the Great were still alive! After a single question (“What was the biggest, baddest thing you’ve ever done?”), Duncan approved of Cedric and poured two drinks. Duncan slammed one drink. Cedric, after giving it some thought, tossed back the other drink. END OF SESSION.